Tonya Guillory only needs to look into the face of her infant daughter to be reminded that perseverance can be rewarded in full.

Lily Gloria was born to Guillory, 42, and husband David, 48, three months ago — helping the Atlanta family author its own chapter in the ever-expanding narrative orchestrated by Reproductive Biology Associates, a fertility and in vitro fertilization firm.

The Sandy Springs-based entity recently celebrated dual milestones — 30 years and 30,000 babies — with current and former clientele like the Guillorys. The couple’s journey from infertility to parenthood spanned several painstaking years, ultimately leading them to Dr. Andy Toledo and company’s doorstep at the Reproductive Biology clinic.

“We had almost given up,” said Guillory. “And time was not on our side.”

Since its founding in 1983, the firm has evolved into a world-renowned resource for development and application of leading technology in the treatment of infertility. It also holds the distinction of being Georgia’s first IVF treatment center.

“Every one of the couples we care for are individuals going through unique and different issues,” said Toledo, its chief executive and senior partner.

The Guillorys’ own happy ending/new beginning was preceded by eight years of disheartening false starts and frustration.

The couple had engaged in “many” rounds of in vitro — with miscarriages and non-pregnancies at every turn — before deciding to give it one last shot in August 2012.

“We both committed to each other that this was our last [attempt],” said Guillory. “We had heard so many good things about [the firm] …

“We tried twice. Dr. Toledo assured me, [saying], ‘We’re going to throw the kitchen sink at you … and sure enough, the second time we wound up pregnant with a healthy little girl. We feel so blessed that we didn’t give up.”

Toledo’s discovery of previously undiagnosed autoimmune and blood-clotting disorders helped pave the way for Lily’s arrival. Guillory and her husband represent the changing face/background of those seeking the clinic’s services, Toledo said.

“The clientele we now care for is, on average, older, more educated and much more diverse,” the physician said. “These couples are better informed as to their treatment options. They know that we can treat problems now with more successful outcomes than we could in the early days of infertility treatment.”

Toledo’s doctor-patient experience with prospective mothers and fathers has been informed by a similar path to parenthood he and wife Donna endured.

“We went through five cycles of IVF before we were successful,” said Toledo, now father to 5-year-old Sophia and the couple’s as yet unborn second child. “As the saying goes, you can’t really know how people feel until you’ve walked in their shoes …”

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